If you are planning to study abroad, then one of the most challenging things is to draft your Statement of Purpose (SOP). This document is essentially an essay outlining your life, career goals, reasons for applying to a particular university and program. In other words, it is an essay from your side to the university’s admissions committee, which talks about why you are applying to their course and why they should select you from thousands of other applications.

Why is SOP Important?

This is a common doubt to have because we think the university is basing its decision on our profile (our test scores, language abilities, CGPA, work experience and the like).

What we miss understanding is that the university is also establishing its decisions on subjective parameters like:

Why does this student want to apply for this course? What will the student bring to the program and gain out of it? What makes this student stand out among other applications?

Apart from answering those questions, the SOP is also an open space for you to address issues in your profile, like a gap year or an unimpressive CGPA. It is a valuable opportunity provided to students to tell the university their story.

What is Good SOP?

An effective SOP can go a long way in presenting your application to the university in an impressive manner. A good SOP takes into account who it is addressed to and is crisp and precise. To know if your SOP is a winner, follow our pointers below:

Length of the SOP should be within 2 pages

The opening paragraph should convey the crux of your intent on the application

It should be specific to the university and course you are applying to

It should not repeat specifics already mentioned in the application form and/or the CV

It should have a clear flow of thought

It should not just have your merits but also your long term and short term goals

It should state your learning and experiences from each event in your career, in the interest of personalization

How to Write the SOP for German Universities?

Do thorough research about the university you are applying to, find courses and research projects that are relevant to your background and mention how they have encouraged you to apply.

Go through the university application requirements and note the suggested word limit for the SOP. Sometimes you will find a specific question or essays like personal essay being asked by the university in lieu of the SOP. You need to pay attention to such details.

It is important to keep your language simple and focus on your academic achievements, research skills, and practical exposure.

They often ask for ‘letter of motivation’ instead of the SOP. There is a very minute difference between these two documents. The Letter of Motivation is essentially about why you are interested in the programme and how you want to utilize the opportunity if provided, to further your career goals. The SOP has a wider scope where you can focus more on who you are.

How can I Write a Good Letter of Motivation?

In order to write a fantastic Letter of Motivation, you need to plan ahead and work step by step towards the perfect essay! Yes, it is a process that yields best results if completed systematically.

Firstly, you need to do some soul searching and find the answers to these questions:

What are the key relevant events in my life? (enlist them)

What are my most important achievements so far?

Why do I want to pursue my course at this university?

What are my key areas of research interest?

Where do I see myself immediately after my graduate program?

Where do I see myself 10-15 years down the line?

What are the issues in my profile (if any) that I need to bring to the university’s attention?

Few adjectives that best describe my qualities as a student

Secondly, you need to pen down the structure of your essay. The flow of your essay not only contributes to its readability but also directly reflects the clarity of your thoughts. So, using the information and vocabulary you have gathered in step 1, build your Letter of Motivation’s structure beginning with a powerful introduction, covering your academic achievements and concluding with your goals as well as your reasons for applying to the programme and what you seek to bring to the programme as an international student.

The next step is to write your first draft. This draft is about mentioning all the facts and ensuring a good flow.

Lastly, you need to edit and fine-tune your document to meet the university guidelines. At this stage, you can focus on the grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure etc.

Once your final document is ready, do proofread it a few times to be sure you are sending the best possible version of the document. Use GyanDhan’s automated SOP Review Tool to check your SOP and see how you can improve it further.

What are the Common Mistakes to avoid while drafting an SOP/Letter of Motivation

The use of flowery language - The SOP is not exactly a test of your language, it is a display of your personality. Brevity and the clarity in conveying your academic intent are far more valuable than the use of ornate language.

Storytelling - While you must talk about your experiences through any major achievement in your profile, academic or otherwise; you need to limit your storytelling as it brings very little to the table from the perspective of the admissions committee considering your application.

The volume of applications- The admissions committee of a university gets thousands of applications for a programme. Your piece of writing has to stand out among a big pool of applicants. It is important to remember that yours won’t be the first or last SOP they ever read. This realization is essential in keeping your document sharp, brief and effective.

Generic writing - Writing one SOP for all universities, courses or countries (if you are applying to may) is the most common error. The SOP needs to specifically talk about how the university, programme, and location align with your goals and research objectives.

Germany has about 500 universities and as an economy that invests generously to its educational system, it provides a wonderful environment for international students. Indian students have additional benefits such as reduced fees and tuition waivers among others. This means the competition is generally on the higher side, especially due to the research prowess of their technical universities.

In such a scenario, your documents and essay play an important role in your admission prospects. Which is why, you must try Gyandhan’s online SOP Review tool to assess your draft document for flow, matter, and readability.

About author

Yogender Panchal
Yogender is a tech enthusiast with specialization in digital marketing. He is currently working at Gyandhan a leading company provides Education Loan who are studying Abroad. Playing Volleyball, driving a car, traveling, researching new online marketing trends are some of his interest areas that keeps his rejuvenated.